


Love like War

by queenofmahishmati



Category: Baahubali (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-14
Updated: 2018-02-14
Packaged: 2019-03-18 11:32:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13680831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queenofmahishmati/pseuds/queenofmahishmati
Summary: Indira wishes to meet a certain Prince, but oh boy, does she regret it? Or, is it the other way around?





	Love like War

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Valentine's my favourite lot ♥

The tinkling of anklets and the accompanying sound of hushed footsteps were unmistakable on the other side of the door.

Mani amma tucked a reluctant Devasena into her bed with a pointed look, knowing the other little one presently hiding behind the door would be far more difficult than her charge to put to sleep. Besides, she couldn’t find it in her heart to keep the princesses apart given how the wedding of their King drew in so many guests that the cousins barely had any time to spend with each other once all the royal meet and greet were done for the day.

Standing up to leave, she paused at the door to turn and look at the restless bundle on the bed. “You need to be up early for your lessons, Yuvarani. I’d advise you to get enough rest as tomorrow would be a much busier day!”

Devasena barely nodded and no sooner than Mani amma closed the door, she felt her cousin jump up on the bed.

“Why do you have to train during your own brother’s wedding?” Indira asked sitting cross legged.

“Because the Rajguru said so,’ Devasena threw the thick covers off to sit up herself, ‘and the wedding is still four days away.”

“Hmm… how about I come with you tomorrow then?” Indira asked again raising Devasena’s suspicion.

“What for?”

“Merely to keep you company,” Indira’s reply came quickly while her eyes looked everywhere except at her sister.

Devasena’s lips curved up in a knowing smile, “That’s very kind of you but so unlike you either, Indira. Out with the truth!”

“How do you always know?” The younger girl groaned before falling back on the bed, “I saw you train with them yesterday, Akka.”

Devasena raised her brow at that, “Who?”

Indira rolled back, propping her face upon her palms as she looked up at her cousin, “Yuvaraj of Mahishmati!”

Devasena tensed, “Baahubali?”

“No silly! The other one.”

“Bhallaladeva?” Deva’s voice sounded less anxious this time, “What about him?”

“Nothing. I saw him practicing sword with his brother yesterday. It seemed fun!” Indira fidgeted around where she sat but Devasena was the older one for a reason. She knew the look in her cousin’s eyes. It was the same look she sported every time she found something of interest and subjected it to her curiosity.

“He and his brother are almost seventeen, Indira. Don’t you think he’s a bit too old for you?”

“You don’t seem to think his brother is too old for you though!” Indira threw a sneaky glance at Deva, catching her off guard.

“Yeah—no, but,’ Devasena floundered around for words before drawing in a deep breath, ‘I am fourteen. You are barely eleven.”

“I turned twelve three moons ago,” came Indira’s exasperated reply and it was kind of obvious to the Yuvarani of Kuntala that her stubborn cousin was beyond reasoning.

“What do you want me to do?” Devasena demanded after a long pause.

“Allow me go with you to the training grounds tomorrow. That’s all I ask for, Akka!” Indira widened her eyes pleadingly, knowing all too well that there were none who could resist that face of hers.

“Fine,” Devasena fell back on the bed too, now intent on catching some sleep before whatever the morning had in store for them. “Don’t come crying to me when you realize there’s nothing admirable about the elder Prince of Mahishmati.”

“I won’t,” Indira shook her head into the pillow while Devasena closed her eyes and prayed for her sister to learn her lesson without getting hurt. Bhallaladeva would have to answer her sword if he caused her sister pain in any way.

 

* * *

 

The next morning, they made their way to the training grounds soon after day break; Devasena with her bow and Indira with her short sword. They stopped when they saw the Princes walking out of the armory, weighing the weapons in their hands and chatting head to head.

Devasena turned to Indira questioningly, “Are you sure you still wish to meet him?”

“Him? I want to meet _them_ , Deva.” Indira bounced where she stood, her enthusiasm very much palpable.

Devasena’s eyes grew in alarm, “Wait, what?”

“Do you remember what that sorcerer told us on my last name day? You and I are fated like Seetha and Mandavi to marry two brothers of a royal family. I think I found my answer!” Indira giggled walking ahead quickly before Devasena could stop her. _Oh, what a disaster was this day turning out to be?_

 

* * *

 

“These Kuntalan swords,’ Bhallaladeva twirled the one in his hand around twice, ‘—they feel flimsy compared to ours.”

Before he could judge it any more, he was forced to raise the sword to block a blow from his brother’s.

“But they are just as strong, you can’t deny that,’ Amarendra smiled stepping away from him after a minute, ‘you are so used to your heavy Gada, Bhalla. A change doesn’t hurt!” He clapped him on his shoulder with a laugh but the sounds of a soft giggle interrupted their banter.

It was the Yuvarani of Anupa, and her cousin from Kuntala not too far behind her. Baahubali stood straight and bowed his head at the Princesses as was the custom while Bhalla turned away despite the elbow-nudge from Baahu, clearly annoyed by the intrusion.

“You must be Baahubali,’ the girl chirped once she bowed back in greeting, ‘my sister won’t stop praising your marksmanship ever since the wild boar incident in the fields.”  

Amarendra ducked his head modestly, but before he could reply she continued on.

“I believe she wishes to learn the trick of deflecting an arrow from you. Would you teach her? She’s extremely shy to ask herself.” She stage-whispered the last part causing Amarendra to look on bemused. Devasena gritted her teeth feeling betrayed by her own kin.

“I would be most delighted to,” Amarendra replied looking directly at Devasena who had her face turned away from them.

Indira beamed at him as he walked past her towards Deva and tried to listen to their conversation till they were out of hearing range. She wasn't the only one though!

_“So your sister says you wish to learn the art of deflection from me.”_

_“Don’t flatter yourself! She is intent on playing a matchmaker and you just fell into the trap laid by a twelve year old.”_

_“Oh, but she looks innocent—“_

_“Which is exactly what I fear as well, will she be fine with your brother?”_

_“Bhalla? He won’t hurt a fly.“_

_“My sister is not a fly.”_

_“That’s not what I meant—“_ Devasena had stormed off not waiting to hear Amarendra’s reply and he promptly followed her muttering apologies. But they were too far away for Indira to hear anything more and so she turned to fix her curious gaze on the Prince before her.

Bhallaladeva, who had been silently delighting in his brother’s failed attempts at flirting, turned away as soon as he realized he had garnered the attention of the little imp beside him.

“So, you are Baahubali’s brother?” She asked feigning innocence.

He grunted in response as he bent down to pick a spear and moved a small distance away from her. But she followed him like his shadow.

Raising her chin when he refused to pay her any heed, she said, “I am Indira of Anupa.”

Bhallaladeva paused in his actions, knowing he was honour bound to reply to that. Dropping the spear in his hand, he barely bent his head at her smile of approval, “And I, Bhallaladeva of Mahishmati.”

Anyone who knew him would know how much he despised having to bow to people. Especially to the ones he considered beneath him. And yet, here was this midget of a girl—

“I saw you practicing with your brother the other day,’ she continued even after Bhallaladeva turned away, picking up the sword this time, ‘sword is my weapon of choice as well, you know?”

She waited for his reply, but then again, he refused to face her.

“Will you duel with me?” Indira asked finally, her eyes wide once more in that irresistible sort of way.

Bhallaladeva froze mid-swing before turning to look down upon her and almost laughed at her request. Perhaps, that would be too rude of him.

“Most certainly,’ he replied in a teasing tone, ‘when you are _taller_ than my sword, I shall think about your request.”

 But Indira still took offense to that. Her face puffed up in anger, and her eyes turned into tiny slits, “Have you ever thought about learning respect instead of throwing swords?”

“I will take that into consideration, Yuvarani,” he mock bowed this time making Indira stomp her feet childishly. _Devasena was right. What did she even see in this ogre?_

“You will regret this one day!”

Bhalla let out a loud bark of laugh at that, but Indira chose to have the last word that day.  By the time he stopped laughing, she was half way across the training grounds, leaving him in the wake of her tiny fury. And he watched on as she walked into the sunrise, part fondly and part amused. _As if he would ever regret earning her ire!_

 

* * *

 

**_Almost a decade later…_ **

All of Mahishmati was still celebrating their Crown Prince’s wedding to the Daughter of Kuntala while they eagerly waited for the coronation day. The week between the wedding and coronation were filled with dance and music fests; festivals and tournaments. That particular day, the tournament of champions that occurred in the palace arena saw Bhallaladeva as the last undefeated warrior until Devasena leaned over to whisper something in her husband’s ears. Amarendra grinned before he raised his hand to calm the cheering crowd.

“A warrior from Yuvarani Devasena’s family wishes to challenge my brother,’ he announced just when a tall slender woman wearing Kuntalan blue stepped into the arena causing Bhallaladeva to raise his brow in surprise, ‘the first to yield will admit their defeat to the victor. Let the duel begin!”

Amarendra nodded his consent and the woman who had her entire head covered except for her eyes, drew her sword from its sheath. As the challenger, she was allowed to pick the weapon for duel. Bhallaladeva exchanged his Gada for his sword and shield before walking out to meet her in the center of the field with a smirk. She nodded at him unperturbedly before they assumed their positions and at the first blow of the horn, their duel began.

Not five minutes into fighting, Bhallaladeva realized how he had grossly underestimated her. She fought without a shield, going all in for attack, striking at him blow after blow with no sense of hesitation. The determination in her eyes forced him into defending his own person and honour. What she lacked in strength against him, she made up for with her agility.

Soon Bhallaladeva found himself getting cornered into his end of the field and as one last effort; he dropped his shield to catch her off guard. But she barely blinked, removing a shorter sword from its scabbard on her hip and knocked his sword out of his hands. He yielded just when the tip of her longer sword came to rest upon his neck. There was triumph in her eyes and respect in his. They could hear the other’s heart beat in sync with their own as they stood staring into each other’s eyes, drawing deep breaths.

The crowd had been stunned into silence at the unexpected turn of events. After God knows how long he stood there staring at her like a man without his wits, Bhallaladeva finally bowed, accepting his defeat. The crowd once again began cheering louder than ever before and he almost missed hearing the peals of laughter falling from the woman’s lips. She must have removed her scarf while he had his head bent, for Bhalla suddenly felt himself transfixed by the beauty standing before him. Her face was flushed from over exertion but her eyes laughed along with her lips. It was then he decided that she would be the only woman he would ever bow to after his mother!

Standing tall, he returned her smile with a smirk of his own, “And so, you have defeated the single most undefeated warrior today!”

She put both of her swords away before answering him, “Seems like I have!”

He took a step closer towards her, intent on knowing her identity, “I am Bhallaladeva, Yuvaraj of Mahishmati.”

At this, she began laughing once again causing Bhalla to blink in confusion.

“Am I missing something?”

“Perhaps,’ she sobered up as she spoke, ‘I just remembered something from my childhood. You have learnt to respect so much better than throwing your sword after all.” Throwing an impish look at his flabbergasted face, she curtsied mockingly, “Indira of Anupa. Maybe you remember?”

Without waiting for his reply, Indira spun around to walk into the sunset, leaving Bhalla to stand behind in her dust once again. And he did regret it this time. But in their hearts, they both knew he would make up for it in all the years to come!

**Author's Note:**

> That's pure crack set in canon-era because I owe this to you all!! I honestly don't know what I wrote, it was supposed to be a 500 words long drabble that got out of hand. Hope you liked it though :)
> 
> PS. This is where I steal Mani amma kaadhu, for a cameo!!!!


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